<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> Successful corporate branding requires that questions related to communication, publicity, and organizational structures are addressed. An uncritical adoption of approaches known from traditional product branding will inevitably give problems as the properties of tangible commodities and services with their relatively concrete dimensions are absent when the main question is one of values.Furthermore, when the relatively straightforward identification and power structures of corporations and consumers are replaced by the more diversified structures of city government, their populations, and potential visitors, problems seem to multiply in what has become known as city branding.This analysis of the communicational aspects of two Danish provincial towns’ branding efforts examines both their internally and externally directed communication. It demonstrates that an insufficient understanding of - or willingness to face - these differences will inevitably hamper such branding efforts because of the consequential inconsistencies.Finally, paths to more effective city branding are indicated.</abstract>

Successful corporate branding requires that questions related to communication, publicity, and organizational structures are addressed. An uncritical adoption of approaches known from traditional product branding will inevitably give problems as the properties of tangible commodities and services with their relatively concrete dimensions are absent when the main question is one of values.Furthermore, when the relatively straightforward identification and power structures of corporations and consumers are replaced by the more diversified structures of city government, their populations, and potential visitors, problems seem to multiply in what has become known as city branding.This analysis of the communicational aspects of two Danish provincial towns’ branding efforts examines both their internally and externally directed communication. It demonstrates that an insufficient understanding of - or willingness to face - these differences will inevitably hamper such branding efforts because of the consequential inconsistencies.Finally, paths to more effective city branding are indicated.

City Branding – All Smoke, No Fire?

Nordicom Review

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

{"article-title":"City Branding \u2013 All Smoke, No Fire?"}

Successful corporate branding requires that questions related to communication, publicity, and organizational structures are addressed. An uncritical adoption...

City Branding – All Smoke, No Fire?

Published Online: Feb 14, 2017

Page range: 243 - 266

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nor-2017-0241

Keywords
branding, city branding, market communication, corporate communication, organizational communication, qualitative analysis

© by Jørgen Stigel

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

City Branding – All Smoke, No Fire?

Published Online: Feb 14, 2017

Page range: 243 - 266

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nor-2017-0241

Keywordsbranding, city branding, market communication, corporate communication, organizational communication, qualitative analysis

© by Jørgen Stigel

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
branding, city branding, market communication, corporate communication, organizational communication, qualitative analysis